Haines Mill facts for kids
Haines Mill, also known as the Haines Mill Museum, is a historic grist mill located in South Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. A grist mill is a place where grain, like wheat or corn, was ground into flour. This important building was first built around 1840. It is a large, four-story stone building. It has a special roof called a gambrel roof, which is covered in slate. The mill measures about 42 feet by 46 feet and 9 inches.
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What is Haines Mill?
Haines Mill is a very old building that used to grind grain into flour. It's a big stone structure with four floors. The roof is shaped like a barn roof, called a gambrel roof. This roof is covered with flat pieces of rock called slate. The mill is about the size of a small house, measuring 42 feet long and almost 47 feet wide.
History of the Mill
The inside of Haines Mill had to be rebuilt after a fire in 1908. This means parts of the mill were damaged and then fixed up. Later, in 1930, a new three-story brick section was added to the building. This new part had a roof that sloped down, called a lean-to roof. On top of the main roof, there's a small, decorative tower called a cupola. Haines Mill continued to work and grind grain until 1957.
Visiting Haines Mill Museum
Today, Haines Mill is a museum that you can visit! It is managed by a partnership between Lehigh County and the Lehigh County Historical Society. Lehigh County owns and takes care of the building and its grounds. The Lehigh County Historical Society offers public tours. These tours let people explore the mill and learn about its history. It's a great way to see how people used to make flour a long time ago.
National Recognition
Because of its importance and history, Haines Mill was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. This is a special list of places in the United States that are considered important to the country's history.